Johannesburg, Oct 15 : The Highveld Lions convincingly beat the Mumbai Indians by eight wickets due to a record 121-run partnership between Neil McKenzie and rising star Quinton de Kock in their first Twenty20 Champions League group game at the Wanderers.

The Lions chasing 158 started slowly with captain Alviro Petersen caught for 14 by Ambati Rayudu off Lasith Malinga at the end of the fifth over.

After Dwayne Smith and Kieron Pollard replaced Singh and Pragyan Ojha, De Kock and McKenzie reached their 50 partnership in 37 balls as the Lions'' innings gathered momentum.

The Lions pair continued to score with the Indians unable to stop the boundaries, with McKenzie reaching 50 in 33 balls. The hundred partnership followed soon after.

Mitchell Johnson and Lasith Malinga could do nothing to stop the run flow as the Lions reached their target of 158 with seven balls to spare, completing a perfect start for the South African sides after the Titans beat the Perth Scorchers in Centurion on Saturday.

McKenzie finished unbeaten on 68 from 41 balls, and De Kock on 51 from 33 balls. (ANI)